The APRS OTA Proposal
APRS OTA began as a proposal on the front page of this site. As the project grows into something real, the proposal is preserved here as radiogram number one, just as it was shared with the APRS community.
Let’s create a new amateur radio activity and supporting software that bring the activator-and-chaser game of Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air to APRS. Send APRS messages to find other operators, work them for a contact, and get a live log and map on this website. This is the proposal.
Why create something new?
APRS was designed for sharing real-time tactical information in a local area. APRS-IS connects those local nets, so a position report from a trailhead magically appears on aprs.fi. Messaging is another story. To reach someone, you have to know who is out there and ready. Bots like ANSRVR and APRSPH have built ways to call CQ, but a check-in from three hours ago tells you nothing about who is listening now.
Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air turn making contacts into an event, with spots on the web, friendly competition, and awards worth framing. They give an operator in the field and the chasers at home a reason to get on the air. But logging is a chore, and both events prohibit contacts through land-based repeaters, so APRS is rarely used.
Let’s start something new to…
- Connect operators ready to go on the air
- Invite newcomers to do more with APRS
- Challenge seasoned operators to expand their skills
- Score points for every QSO with bonuses, achievements, and leaderboards
APRS OTA combines the vibe of a POTA activation with a native APRS messaging bot and a website to show what’s happening. The bot helps operators find each other. One sends it a message and a position report to go on the air. Another sends it CQ to find out who else is on the air right now. The bot then relays an exchange between them to complete a QSO, logging it to the website in real time, with a running score to keep things fun. There is nothing to set up in advance, no website logins, and everything can be done over APRS. When you message the OTA bot, you’re in.
Connecting operators
Checking into an APRS net is not the same as calling CQ. APRS messages are directed, one station to another, and bulletins were never designed for finding someone to work.
APRS OTA fixes discovery with one message in each direction. An op is one on-air session. A host goes on the air, chasers call in to make contacts, and the OTA bot logs everything until the op ends.
- Host (K7ABC-6): runs the op. Goes on the air over RF from anywhere, and works chasers as they call in.
- Bot (OTA): sits in the middle. Relays messages between stations and logs every QSO as it happens.
- Chaser (W1XYZ-5): joins the op. Contacts the host through the bot to complete a QSO. RF optional.
Host an op
A host sends one message and a position report, and an op is on the air. Any location works, from a summit to a parking lot, as long as they transmit and receive via RF.
K7ABC-6 starts an op and goes on the air.
HOST goes on the air (QRV works too)
A standard APRS position report aka beacon
The bot remembers the host's location for every QSO in this op. If the host moves, a new beacon updates it.
The op is on the air. Posted to aprsota.org/K7ABC and aprsota.org/now.
Find an op
This is the moment the whole system is designed for. A new operator sends a message with the first ham lingo they learned, and gets back every host who is on the air and ready for a QSO.
W1XYZ-5 asks who is on the air.
OTA sends every op that is on the air and its location. This is the same list as aprsota.org/now.
Three ops are on the air right now.
Chasing an op
A QSO is a three-way exchange: a host on the air, a chaser calling in, and the OTA bot relaying and logging as it happens.
Complete a QSO
W1XYZ-5 chases K7ABC-6 and completes a QSO.
Starting a message with @callsign tells OTA who you are chasing
The bot remembered the host's location, and now it has the chaser's location too.
OTA shares host's location with chaser
OTA relays chaser's location and message to host
Locations have been exchanged.
OTA receives the QSL and logs the contact
and sends a QSL to the chaser
The host and chaser have exchanged callsigns, locations, and short messages. There are no signal reports because for APRS either the frame decodes or it doesn't. The QSO is logged and scored at aprsota.org/K7ABC. W1XYZ-5 can also see it at aprsota.org/W1XYZ.
QSO complete.
Real-time logging and scoring
Live dashboards
Watch the message log and map of every op update as it happens, from the shack computer or the phone in your pocket. Your call sign gets a page too, showing your stats, the ops you’ve hosted and chased, and your contacts worldwide.
Badges highlight accomplishments
Earn badges for both chasing and hosting. Some come quick, like First Hop for chasing your first QSO over RF. Some take a season, like Wanderer for hosting ops from five different grid squares.
Points for every QSO
The host and the chaser both earn points for every QSO, and each op gets a score of its own. Bonus points when either operator is in a park or on a summit, with more for DX contacts and chasers who call in over RF.
Leaderboards celebrate the regulars
Most QSOs this month. Most QSOs in a single op. Top scores this week, this month, and all time. Fresh weekly and monthly boards give newcomers a real shot at the top. See who is putting in the airtime.
More details in the handbook
This is a proposal with the highlights. The handbook is a work in progress and has more details.
That’s the proposal. What do you think?
APRS OTA isn’t built yet. I’m sharing the idea with the APRS community to gather feedback before writing any software.
Do you like it? Can it be improved? Will it work?
I’d love to hear from you.
- Email: jared@k0tfu.org
- Discord: APRS OTA
((◆)) Jared K0TFU